


five loaves and two fish

by Anonymous



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 04:27:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13286961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Tony never intended for his tower to become the Home for Wayward Avengers, but it had.





	five loaves and two fish

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lacrimula_Falsa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lacrimula_Falsa/gifts).



> Happy New Year!

Tony never intended for his tower to become the Home for Wayward Avengers, but it had. First was Bruce who basically just never left after the fight. He needed a place to be safe, and Tony offered without hesitation. Bruce’s brain was too valuable to be without labs to play in. 

Second was Clint, exiled from SHIELD for his part in Loki’s plan, and where Clint went, Natasha followed. (Clint wasn’t really exiled, but his reception was frosty enough that a retreat seemed advisable.)

Fourth was Thor, who was back from Asgard without Loki, thankfully, and wanted a place to crash with his lady-love Jane, who was another genius who needed labs.

Last, but certainly not least, was a bashful Steve, who showed up and said, “My place is besieged by reporters. Can I stay here for a while?”

So, Tony graciously opened his tower to guests. Shut up, Pepper, he was totally gracious and inviting. The snark and sarcasm were his way of saying welcome.

Afterwards, life proceeded mostly how it did before. He talked to Bruce most every day, but that was the only change. He barely saw the others as they went in and out dealing with their own lives, and he developed new StarkTech, invented Iron Man improvements, and avoided Board Meetings.

Surprisingly it was Steve who changed everything. About two weeks after he moved in, he came down to Tony’s lab, announced by Jarvis. Looking up from his welding, Tony could see Steve just outside the lab looking in curiously. When he noticed Tony looking at him, he gave a little, dorky wave. It took an effort of will for Tony not to roll his eyes. Tony said, “Let him in, Jarvis,” and the door whooshed open.

Steve came in hesitantly, and asked, “I’m not interrupting, am I?”

“Nothing that can’t be interrupted. What’s up, Cap?”

“I just wanted to thank you and Pepper for allowing me to stay. I was hoping I could make you guys dinner someday soon, if you’re both free.”

“No need.”

“But I’d like to,” Steve responded with a stubborn look on his face.

Figuring that a single night socializing with the fossil was doable, Tony said, “Okay, no need to get twisted. Pepper knows my schedule better than I do. Organize it with her.”

Steve beamed at him. “Thanks, Tony. I’ll do that.” It looked like Steve wanted to say a bit more, but eventually he gave another dorky wave and left the lab. 

Tony just shrugged, lowered his welding mask again, and forgot all about it.

A couple days later he was discussion water filtration innovations with Bruce when Pepper came striding into the lab. She said, “You’re not ready, Tony?”

Distracted by schematics, Tony asked, “Ready for what?”

“Our dinner with Captain America. I put it on your calendar. Tony!”

Tony looked at her in surprise. “Did he actually go through with that?”

“Of course. Now, come on. Luckily, you’re not covered in grease, so you can go like that.”

Tony asked, “Can Bruce come? You want to come, don’t you, Big Guy?”

This of course made Bruce startle like a deer in headlights, which made Tony smile. But he was totally serious, if he had to sit through an interminable dinner with Captain America, he needed back-up. Pepper would be too polite.

Pepper said, “Oh, I’m sorry, Bruce. We didn’t talk about including you. But let me text Steve and find out.”

“You have his number? And are calling him Steve?”

As Bruce protested, Pepper waved a hand nonchalantly at Bruce, and also gave Tony a kiss on the cheek, which mollified him.

After her short text conversation, Pepper put her phone away and said, “Steve says it’s fine. He made pasta. Come on, boys, we don’t want to be late.” She then grabbed each of their arms, and practically dragged them to the elevator.

As they departed onto what had become a communal floor, Tony was surprised to find the table set with fancy dishes with flowers as the centerpiece. Steve was adding a plate and silverware for Bruce, but he looked up with a happy smile. “Hi, guys! Thanks for coming. Glad you could join us, Dr. Banner.”

Bruce said, “Call me, Bruce. If you’re sure I’m not crashing…”

“Not at all. I made plenty. Please sit down.”

As Tony pulled out a chair for Pepper and Bruce headed for the other side of the table, Thor and Jane strolled into the room. Thor said, “A feast! How pleasant!”

Steve came out from the kitchen to accept a bone-crushing hug from Thor. “If you’d like to join us, I can put out two more plates?”

Jane said, “If you’re sure it’s no bother?”

“None at all. Let me get the dishes.”

So, Thor came around to thump Tony on the back, so Tony said, “Hey, Thor. Nice to see you,” as Jane engaged Bruce in a scientific discussion of gamma radiation which Tony would totally be interested in, except Thor kept talking about how nice it was to have everyone together, and Tony resigned himself to polite small talk.

As Steve came back with more plates and silverware, and Bruce got up to help him put them down, Clint and Natasha came breezing in, only to stop in surprise. Natasha asked, “Having a team dinner without us, boys?”

Steve hurried to stammer out a denial, and Tony took pity on him. He said, “It was originally only Pepper and I, but you freeloaders keep showing up.”

Clint said, “Well, this freeloader can smell tomato sauce, so he is definitely interested in more freeloading.”

Steve gave Tony a look, but said, “There’s plenty if you guys are free to join us? Sorry I didn’t invite everyone. It was originally a thank-you dinner for Tony and Pepper, and I didn’t think to expand it to the full group. But there is plenty for everyone, if you like?”

After exchanging looks with Natasha, Clint said, “I’ll get plates,” as Natasha headed to the seat next to Pepper.

After that it was a free-for-all of good food and conversation. Tony luckily got in on the science discussions, and it wasn’t until he found himself lingering over his wine that he looked around in surprise at everyone hanging out and joking together. He was having a good time, as was everyone else.

Steve looked blissed out and nostalgic at the same time, and Tony could only imagine what comraderies he was remembering. Clint and Natasha were trading harmless barbs, and obviously enjoying it immensely. Thor was looking admiringly at Jane as she discussed fusion with Bruce, and Pepper was laughing at a story Steve was starting to tell.

Huh.

Maybe they were more than just random strangers thrown together. Or they could be more than that. Damn Fury for putting the idea into his head, but the Avengers as a team was definitely a thing in his mind now.

He almost stood to make a toast, make a grand gesture, but at the last minute, just smiled privately and rejoined the discussion with Jane and Bruce.


End file.
